Klieg Lights, Part III

 

Guess where your humble narrator was at 6:33 a.m.?

Visit #1623, Saturday 17 October 26, 6:00-10:35 a.m., 5.3 miles, 1.2 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the low 50s, cloudy.

In the past few weeks I've complained about the klieg lights at Castle Craig remaining on well after sunrise, which absolutely makes no sense to me. Last week I reported them still on at 8:45 a.m. Yet I received a report claiming they were operating correctly. Really?! This week I decided to perform a more in-depth investigation.

The photo at the top is looking east over Meriden from Castle Craig. I hiked up there using a headlamp and waited, admittedly under-dressed for the chilly morning.

By 7:20 a.m. I could no longer see ANY streetlights on along I-691 or in any of the neighborhoods. Streetlights are all governed by photocells now as they are more energy efficient; you can see the photocell as a protrusion on top of the lamp itself. Timers have gone the way of the Dodo bird.

What do you think; should those klieg lights still be on when it's this bright out?

Yet the klieg lights remained on.

Since I expected the lights to remain on after last week's 8:45 a.m. record, I decided to hike a short loop then return to check on them.

On the Blue Trail I found a very large fallen tree, which I'll remove next week.

When I returned to the peak the lights were STILL on so I took the time to remove some graffiti on the transformer.

I then tested the photocell myself by shining a flashlight at it. The thirty second delay accounts for unusual circumstances such as lightning, and I could hear the relay inside the cabinet open. I removed the flashlight and the klieg lights turned back on in seconds - and it was 9 a.m.!

Talking to a retired state highway electrician he said typically you can expect photocell operated lights to work within five minutes of each other. At least that's how the state's highway lighting worked when he was employed. Some photocell circuits provide user programmable delay timers but my test clearly shows it not to be the case here. I stand by my claim the photo cell is defective, likely due to age and clouding of the cover over the photocell. I relented and post a picture of the photocell here.

So at 9:25 a.m., WITH THE LIGHTS STILL ON, I left. IF STREETLIGHTS SHUT OFF AROUND 7 a.m. ON A CLOUDY DAY AND THE KLIEG LIGHTS ARE STILL ON OVER TWO HOURS LATER then something isn't right. The relay is functioning, there's sufficient power for the three lights, so the only component left is...

For more evidence, on a clear sky Sunday morning I observed the streetlights in my condo association. One light, heavily shaded by trees, turned off at 7:13 a.m while the next light in the row, in open sky but shaded by terrain and not receiving direct sunrise, turned off at 7:16 a.m.

 

(As a side note, I have a state low voltage contractor's license (C-5). It's not an E-1 license so I don't handle AC equipment, but I have a basic understanding about how this stuff should work.)

Incidentally, those klieg lights are 500 watt LED models, built in 2021 so they were installed roughly six years ago. I was hoping to warm my cold hands over them but LEDs don't generate much heat. Peer inside without getting blinded and you can see some of the individual LEDs in the array which make up each light, are failing, but they've got a long way to go before requiring replacement.

Maybe next week I'll visit even later to see if they remain on even later in the morning or perhaps all day.

I left my light vigil and returned to the park via another route. Along the way I found a bent over tree which I cut away.

And down by the Merimere Reservoir gate was a fallen tree which I managed to swing off-trail.

Then came a real surprise and my Find of the Week.

Somebody dumped an e-bike in the brush on the side of the road. With the proliferation of these things in Meriden and beyond, I was wondering when I would see them dumped on the side of the road as they are relatively cheap to purchase and my assumptions about people after seeing how they ride these abominations. Never did I expect to find one in the park. It did not operate.

On 9 October I received an e-mail from the Kathy Matula, Recreation Director for the Meriden Parks Department. Here's what she said:

"I hope you are well. I need your expert opinion.  The circled tree had a white trail marker behind all of the poison ivy. Is poison Ivy removal in your repertoire? 

If not, we need to figure out a clear spot for two white marks for turning off the Soap Box Derby Road."

Well, I forgot about it until this morning, and after I was done with my klieg light investigation and was returning to the park I checked out the area because I wasn't sure what she was talking about.

I found the tree.

No Kathy, it's not normally in my repertoire. But for you I made an exception. Replace those trail markers before it grows back! (It's better than the photo presents it to be.)

For those not in the know, urushiol is the chemical irritant in poison ivy. After contact, you should go home and wash your clothing and take a shower. To ensure you won't get that nasty rash, you can wash with Tecnu, available at most supermarkets and drugstores. So guess what I did when I got home?

Of course, when I returned to the park I tossed the e-bike and my litter in the dumpster.

I thought about the environmental impact of the batteries and the bike's metal but I drew the line at paying for the proper disposal of it when it was not on my property. I'll probably go to hell for that.

This Is Your SECOND Notice

 

Late in September I posted on this blog finding the klieg lights on at Castle Craig during daylight hours. Today's photo was taken at 8:45 a.m.

Well, that was three weeks ago and THEY'RE STILL ON. It's your taxpayer dollars lighting up the sky twenty-four hours a day, folks. And since this blog is e-mailed to just about everybody and anybody in the city government who would be able to act on this, I would have expected it to be addressed promptly.

Let's try this again. THE KLIEG LIGHTS ARE ON DURING THE DAY AT CASTLE CRAIG. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS MATTER THAT IS, IF YOU'RE PAYING ATTENTION TO THIS BLOG.

Today was a Power Tool Weekend®.

Several years ago I removed a tree which had fallen across the Blue Trail to West Peak. I just didn't cut it back far enough for my satisfaction. Today I was satisfied.

Further up the trail, near West Peak, was my next victim.

I reported last week finding this tree protruding into the road.

Well, I put a stop to that and in the process, discovered Hubbard Park loves me!

I walked over to Castle Craig, inpsected those Eternal Lights, and cleaned up around the parking lot.

On the hike down via the Orange Trail I found another fallen tree, which succumbed to my Stihl charms.

On the return trip to the park I was met by a park regular and his wife, who informed me of another fallen tree I was not aware of. 

I returned to the park, dropped of my trash pickup, and headed to that other location.

It was while retrieving my truck that I saw a very large, successful fundraising run was in progress. I was impressed as I'd never before seen such a turnout for a fundraiser in Hubbard Park.

Now to that last tree. Someone else had apparently made a couple cuts but must have run out of muscle.

I finished the job.

Please; SOMEBODY fix those klieg lights!

Leaves Began To Fall

 

Visit #1621, Sunday 4 October 26, 6:55-9:20 a.m., 5.2 miles, 7.0 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the low 60s, partly sunny and dry.

In coming up with today's blog title, I was inspired by a Frank Zappa tune, Tears Began To Fall.

I have the album. I wouldn't advise you to listen to it unless you're a Zappa fan; strange stuff.

I put the LP on the turntable while composing this report. No drugs were involved. Only Frank Zappa would write songs titled "What Kind of Girl Do You Think We Are?", "Latex Solar Beef", and "Lonesome Electric Turkey". Before you ask to borrow my copy, know that you've been duly warned.

The record jacket's sleeve contains a prescient reminder by Frank: Don't forget to vote.

I hadn't walked UP the road to East/West Peak in quite some time so today it would be.

I never expected to find graffiti on a speedbump but today, there it was.

Squint hard and you may recognize having seen this tag before.

See it no more...

...as well as this graffiti found at West Peak.

Bonus: While picking up litter at the north end of Merimere Reservoir I found this steel waterbottle probably left by a fisherman. It's in good enough condition to donate to Goodwill, which I'll do. If I kept all the waterbottles I've found in Hubbard Park I could open my own waterbottle thrift store.

It's been several weeks since the logging project on water department property was finished, but the gate remains unsecured.

I did find a couple fallen trees that need attention like this one, but not immediately. I'll probably take care of them next week.

While leaves will fall, signs can't, especially if they are nailed to trees like I found today.

I am a veteran, and I may be the "sticker peeler greaser", but I am NOT a Nazi Non American. Whether I'm an "a.....e" is debatable, I hope.

Nor'easter

 

Indeed the wind was howlin' on Saturday. The leaves were dropping like a prostitute's skirt.

Visit #1620, Saturday 26 Sep 26, 7:30-9:40 a.m., 3..4 miles, 1.7 lbs. of litter.

Temps in the 60s, intermittent rain, and high winds, due to a Nor'easter.

Last week I reported on some new Cat's Patootie graffiti I'd found that needed attention. I'd also received an e-mail from one of my park informants telling me about a newly fallen tree I wasn't aware of. I took a mountain bike ride to the park during the week to seek out both.

I arrived at the park fifteen minutes after the gate across the road should have been closed but it was still open.

But just as I took the photo two things happened; that car you see parked up ahead arrived, and the parks employee assigned to locking the gate drove by (note the vehicle far in the background) no doubt to get stragglers at East/West Peak to leave. I advised the former to move their vehicle otherwise he and his date would be stuck behind the gate. Initially skeptical, they eventually took my advice and thanked me.

I took care of the graffiti.

Only for it to reappear on Saturday as #50, and to be again removed by me.

The other one was fine.

I did however, find  and cover #49 during that bike ride and it did not reappear.

Lastly during that weekday ride, I inspected that fallen tree I was informed about.

I wanted to remove both fallen trees but with the Nor'easter scheduled to dampen both weekend days I didn't have a choice to pick the drier of the two. So be it. I'm not too crazy about running a chainsaw in the rain because everything gets grungy with sawdust.

While the rain was intermittent, the wind was high and constant, even producing whitecaps on Merimere Reservoir. It was eerie yet beautiful at the same time.

I checked the weather before leaving the house and was fortunate enough to arrive during a lull in the rain.

I reached the first tree and dispatched it.

While hiking to the second tree I met another intrepid hiker who told me they heard, and saw, a tree branch snap and fall. Rare, but you get to witness the power of nature and Saturday's wind was mild by comparison.

The second tree across the trail was larger and needed more work. It also started to rain again increasing the grunge.

I then took a side trip onto an illegal trail created by one of our park's regular vandals. I found more of their religious tracts and mysterious notes. They still repeat the theme from previous notes; thank you for this and that, and wishing something about a woman. I wish their handwriting was more legible.

I removed a couple stickers from the bollards, otherwise known as Rommel's Asparagus.

But the award for Sticker of the Day belongs to this one.

Slightly difficult to read it says; "I hate colored peapole (sic). I don't know what "peapole" is. A vegetable, perhaps? 😉 Clearly, the person who wrote this (My instinct tells me it's the same person of the religious tracts and notes) is older because the term "colored peapole" is outdated let alone misspelled.